In the beginning of the 1920's, the United States was recovering from World War I, which changed the political, economic and social aspects of the country. With a prosperous economy and ever-changing social atmosphere, poets, such as Langston Hughes and Ezra Pound, used their poetry to show their new way of life in "The Roaring Twenties".(7)
Politics
The 1920’s were known for racial discrimination and conflict throughout the United States. With the return of the KKK, the legislation in the U.S. was not taking significant steps in the cause for racial equality. For example, Anti-Lynching Bill, an attempt to reduce the number of lynches taking place in the United States by making it a punishable crime, was turned down by the Senate in January 1922. With the discrimination of African Americans at a high, poets, such as Langston Hughes, reacted to these events through their poetry. Poems such as "I, too, Sing America", '"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Dream Variations", all written by Hughes, describe the lives of African Americans in the 1920's. The search for racial equality and racial pride were frequently the topics of poems in the 1920’s. With lines such as: ‘While night comes on gently,/ Dark like me--/That is my dream!’, many African American poets during this time show their pride in their heritage, which was one important aspect of this decade. (1,4,5,7)
Cultural
In the 1920's, the society in America has changed drastically from the former ages. The change in the American culture was partly due to the urbanization and the Harlem Renaissance which both influenced poetry during this time. While E. E. Cummings and other poets wrote about romance, a topic that never dies, Frost and other poets wrote about the culture in America. In "Acquainted With the Night", Frost tells about the communities in cities. This city growth caused more poets to write about their lives and tell their stories to others. This changing culture caused poets to write more and more. (6,7)
Harlem Renaissance
Starting in 1925, the Harlem Renaissance signaled a time of great change in the African American Culture. Starting with a mass migration to the North, this period brought both economic and artistic opportunities to the African Americans. Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were some of the most influential poets of their times. Centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, which grew to be the political and economic center for African Americans, poets and other authors focused on pride in the African American race. This was the first time that African American writers became famous in the main stream in terms of the literature. The Harlem Renaissance also set off African American music, theater, art, and politics. Appealing to both African American middle class and white consumers, numerous collections of poems were produced and sold. This period changed the dynamics of African American poetry and literature. In later decades, it was found that society was more accepting to African American literature due to this era due to this great change.(2)
Economic
After World War I, the United States experienced a boom in the economy. With the demand for manufacture goods at a high, the economy of the U.S.A was in great condition in a economic sense. This economic boom allowed more people to buy new products including the numerous books of poetry collections put out during this time. Also during this period, the rich Americans got even richer, and these wealthy citizens were often the topic of numerous poems, such as "Richard Corey" by Robinson. Poems about different economic classes were frequently written, as well as the materialism brought about by this economy. The economy in the 1920's not only influenced the spread of poetry through sales, but also through the new topics that the economy produced. (3)
"Government and Politics in the 1920s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104240028 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
Richards, Miles. "Race Relations: The Rise and Fall of the Ku Klux Klan (1920s)." American Decades. Ed. McConnell, Tandy. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2113101680 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
"Social Trends in the 1920s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 6 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104240060 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
"The 1920s: Era Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104230011 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
1920's Poetry
In the beginning of the 1920's, the United States was recovering from World War I, which changed the political, economic and social aspects of the country. With a prosperous economy and ever-changing social atmosphere, poets, such as Langston Hughes and Ezra Pound, used their poetry to show their new way of life in "The Roaring Twenties".(7)
Politics
The 1920’s were known for racial discrimination and conflict throughout the United States. With the return of the KKK, the legislation in the U.S. was not taking significant steps in the cause for racial equality. For example, Anti-Lynching Bill, an attempt to reduce the number of lynches taking place in the United States by making it a punishable crime, was turned down by the Senate in January 1922. With the discrimination of African Americans at a high, poets, such as Langston Hughes, reacted to these events through their poetry. Poems such as "I, too, Sing America", '"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Dream Variations", all written by Hughes, describe the lives of African Americans in the 1920's. The search for racial equality and racial pride were frequently the topics of poems in the 1920’s. With lines such as: ‘While night comes on gently,/ Dark like me--/That is my dream!’, many African American poets during this time show their pride in their heritage, which was one important aspect of this decade. (1,4,5,7)
Cultural
In the 1920's, the society in America has changed drastically from the former ages. The change in the American culture was partly due to the urbanization and the Harlem Renaissance which both influenced poetry during this time. While E. E. Cummings and other poets wrote about romance, a topic that never dies, Frost and other poets wrote about the culture in America. In "Acquainted With the Night", Frost tells about the communities in cities. This city growth caused more poets to write about their lives and tell their stories to others. This changing culture caused poets to write more and more. (6,7)
Harlem Renaissance
Starting in 1925, the Harlem Renaissance signaled a time of great change in the African American Culture. Starting with a mass migration to the North, this period brought both economic and artistic opportunities to the African Americans. Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen were some of the most influential poets of their times. Centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, which grew to be the political and economic center for African Americans, poets and other authors focused on pride in the African American race. This was the first time that African American writers became famous in the main stream in terms of the literature. The Harlem Renaissance also set off African American music, theater, art, and politics. Appealing to both African American middle class and white consumers, numerous collections of poems were produced and sold. This period changed the dynamics of African American poetry and literature. In later decades, it was found that society was more accepting to African American literature due to this era due to this great change.(2)Economic
After World War I, the United States experienced a boom in the economy. With the demand for manufacture goods at a high, the economy of the U.S.A was in great condition in a economic sense. This economic boom allowed more people to buy new products including the numerous books of poetry collections put out during this time. Also during this period, the rich Americans got even richer, and these wealthy citizens were often the topic of numerous poems, such as "Richard Corey" by Robinson. Poems about different economic classes were frequently written, as well as the materialism brought about by this economy. The economy in the 1920's not only influenced the spread of poetry through sales, but also through the new topics that the economy produced. (3)Works Cited
"Anti-Lynching Bill." 2007. 6 March 2008. <http://womhist.alexanderstreet.com/lynch/doc1.htm>
"A Brief Guide to the Harlem Renaissance." 2008. 6 March 2008. <http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5657>
"Business and Economy in the 1920s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 7 Mar. 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104240016 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0.
"Government and Politics in the 1920s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104240028 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
Richards, Miles. "Race Relations: The Rise and Fall of the Ku Klux Klan (1920s)." American Decades. Ed. McConnell, Tandy. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2113101680 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
"Social Trends in the 1920s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 6 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104240060 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
"The 1920s: Era Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. Northampton High School. 5 Mar. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T001 &prodId=SRC-1 &docId=EJ2104230011 &source=gale &srcprod=SRCG &userGroupName=win6063 &version=1.0>.
Links:
1920s Poetry Home Page